Smriti Mandhana achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian woman to surpass 4,000 runs in T20Is during the opening match against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.
She reached this mark faster than anyone, in just 3,227 balls, outpacing New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who needed 3,675 balls for the same feat.
India chased 122 after bowling out Sri Lanka for 121/6, with Mandhana scoring 25 off 25 balls before getting out. Vishmi Gunaratne led Sri Lanka's batting with 39 off 43, supported by Hasini Perera (20) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (21). Deepti Sharma starred with the ball, taking 1/20 in her four overs.
India's bowlers adapted well to dew, restricting Sri Lanka to 55/2 at the 10-over mark despite early boundaries from Chamari Athapaththu.
Debutant Vaishnavi Sharma impressed with a tight 0/16 spell, while Kranti Gaud dismissed Athapaththu. Shree Charani and Arundhati Reddy contributed to fielding efforts amid dropped chances. India ended up winning the match comfortably by 8 wickets, as Mandhana played a decent part in the run chase.
Suzie Bates leads Women's T20Is with 4,716 runs, showcasing her dominance over 177 matches. Smriti Mandhana now has 4,002 runs as India's first, reaching it fastest in 3,227 balls, quicker than Bates' 3,675. Harmanpreet Kaur (3,654), Chamari Athapaththu (3,473), and Sophie Devine (3,431) follow, highlighting elite consistency among these stars. Mandhana's milestone cements her in this top-five pantheon.
